PLANNING CONSULTANTS · SUTTON
Planning consultants in Sutton
We prepare and coordinate the planning case and specialist reports for sites in Sutton covering Sutton, Cheam, Carshalton, Wallington, Worcester Park and Belmont. This page sets out what London Borough of Sutton asks for when you apply, with links to the council's own documents.
THE COUNCIL'S DOCUMENTS
What Sutton
judges you against.
Validation list. London Borough of Sutton Local Validation List 2024 (2024-12-03 (adopted)). An application missing a required document can be made invalid, which delays the decision.
Development plan. Sutton Local Plan 2018 (adopted, 2018); New Sutton Local Plan 2024-2041 (Regulation 19 draft consulted on 18 Jun-31 Jul 2026) (emerging, 2026); London Plan 2021 (adopted, 2021).
National policy. The National Planning Policy Framework and, for every London council, the London Plan 2021 sit alongside the local plan.
LOCAL PLANNING POINTS
Things that shape applications in Sutton.
Checked against the council's published policy and guidance. Each point links to its source.
- Single-storey rear extensions are normally limited to 2.7m deep on terraced houses and 3m on semi-detached houses, with up to 3.5m considered on well-separated detached houses (Design of Residential Extensions SPD 4, 2006). The guidance is old, so its weight should be checked case by case. Source
- An Article 4 direction has removed permitted development rights for converting a house to a small HMO across the whole borough since 22 February 2025, so this change of use needs planning permission. Source
- Older Article 4 directions remove permitted development rights for roof alterations, including dormers, on a number of properties across the borough (1984) and for certain alterations to houses in Sutton Garden Suburb (2007). Source
- Additional HMO licensing covers the whole borough from 22 March 2026 to 22 March 2030, for HMOs with three or more people forming two or more households. Source
- A new Sutton Local Plan (2024 to 2041) reached the Regulation 19 stage, with consultation from 18 June to 31 July 2026 ahead of submission for examination. Source
- Article 4 direction: Houses in multiple occupation. Converting a house (C3) into a small HMO (C4) needs planning permission, across the whole borough. Source
- Article 4 direction: Sutton Town Centre offices to homes. Converting offices to homes without planning permission, in Sutton Town Centre. Source
- Article 4 direction: Roof alterations (selected properties). Roof extensions, dormer windows and other roof alterations need planning permission, on a number of specific properties across the borough (see the council's direction documents). Source
- 1 further Article 4 directions apply to particular areas or conservation areas. Council list
REPORTS SUTTON ASKS FOR
Sutton's validation list, report by report.
Which of these your application needs depends on the project and the site. In Sutton, extra reports are triggered most often by tall buildings, a conservation area, a listed building, near a listed building, archaeological priority areas, scheduled monuments. Enter the address in our application checker to see the list for your site.
| Report | Level | When it is needed | Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Quality Assessment and Air Quality Neutral Assessment | Required | Mandatory for major schemes; the whole borough is an Air Quality Management Area.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan SI 1; Sustainable Design and Construction SPG |
| Basement Impact Assessment | Required | Mandatory for any new or extended basement or subterranean level, covering groundwater levels and flow.Applies to: basements | Sutton Local Plan 2018 |
| Biodiversity Net Gain Statement, Habitat Plan and Metric | Required | Mandatory for major, minor and change of use applications unless exempt; householders claim exemption on the form, but flats cannot use that exemption.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use, commercial, basements | Town and Country Planning Act 1990 Sch 7A |
| Construction Logistics Plan | Required | Mandatory for major schemes, covering traffic management, access, loading, hoarding and hours.Applies to: major schemes | TfL Construction Logistics Plan guidance |
| Daylight and Sunlight Assessment | Required | Mandatory for majors using BS EN 17037 and BRE guidance; the council may commission an external review at the applicant's cost.Applies to: major schemes | BRE Site Layout Planning for Daylight and Sunlight |
| Parking Management Plan / Strategy (with parking survey where stress is high) | Required | Mandatory for majors, covering parking, car club and EV charging, with surveys where on-street parking stress is significant.Applies to: major schemes | Sutton Local Plan 2018 |
| Fire Safety Strategy (or Reasonable Exception Statement) | Required | Mandatory for householder, minor and major applications; householder-scale schemes may submit a reasonable exception statement.Applies to: house extensions, one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, commercial, basements | London Plan D12(A) |
| Planning Statement | Required | Mandatory for all major applications, explaining how the scheme meets the development plan and SPDs.Applies to: major schemes | Sutton Local Plan 2018 (general) |
| BREEAM Pre-Assessment | Required | Mandatory for major non-residential schemes, which must show BREEAM Excellent; not needed for residential-only schemes.Applies to: major schemes | Sutton Local Plan Policy 31e |
| Transport Assessment | Required | Mandatory for major applications, scaled to the scheme's transport impact and following TfL guidance.Applies to: major schemes | TfL Transport Assessment guidance |
| Travel Plan | Required | Mandatory for major applications.Applies to: major schemes | TfL Travel Plan guidance |
| Tree Survey, Arboricultural Impact Assessment and Method Statement | Where relevant | Mandatory for majors; other schemes need one where trees are within 7.5 m of new footings, with a plan and photos for trees 7.5-15 m away.Applies to: all applications | BS5837:2012 |
| Contaminated Land Assessment | Where relevant | Required where the site is on contaminated land, to be confirmed with Environmental Health.Applies to: all applications | Government contamination guidance |
| Design and Access Statement | Where relevant | Required for any scheme creating a new dwelling or more than 100 sq m of new floorspace.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, commercial, changes of use | National DAS guidance |
| Ecological Assessment (incl. Preliminary Roost Assessment) | Where relevant | Mandatory for majors; minor schemes in or within 100 m of a SINC, and loft or roof works (householder ones included) in a SINC or Green Corridor, need survey work.Applies to: all applications | Sutton Biodiversity Strategy 2020-2025 |
| Energy Statement | Where relevant | Mandatory for majors and required for minor schemes creating new dwellings, showing the energy hierarchy and carbon targets with SAP or SBEM outputs.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes | Sutton Local Plan Policy 31; London Plan SI 2 |
| Financial Viability Assessment and Affordable Housing Statement | Where relevant | Required for residential schemes providing under 35% affordable housing (50% on public land); FVAs are published.Applies to: major schemes | Sutton Local Plan Policies 8, 38 |
| Fire Statement | Where relevant | Required for buildings of 18 m+ or 7+ storeys with two or more dwellings or educational accommodation.Applies to: major schemes, 2 to 9 homes, changes of use | London Plan D12(B) |
| Flood Risk Assessment | Where relevant | Required where new footings are dug in Flood Zones 2 or 3, for any new basement or subterranean level wherever the site is, and for major sites of 1 ha or more.Applies to: all applications | NPPF; Sutton Strategic Flood Risk Assessment |
| Heritage Statement | Where relevant | Required for works in a conservation area or to a listed or locally listed building, and mandatory for listed building consent.Applies to: all applications | NPPF Section 16; SPD14 Urban Design Guide |
| Archaeological Desk-based Assessment | Where relevant | Major and minor schemes disturbing ground in an Area of Archaeological Priority need one, as do householder schemes with new footings within 50 m of an ancient monument.Applies to: all applications | GLAAS guidance |
| Lighting Assessment | Where relevant | Required for new or replacement external spotlights or floodlights, but not internally lit adverts or shopfronts.Applies to: all applications | Sutton Local Plan 2018 |
| Acoustic and Vibration Impact Assessment | Where relevant | Required for new flues, air conditioning or extraction plant, pubs, bars and takeaways, noisy uses, and homes near railways, busy roads or late-night venues.Applies to: changes of use, commercial, major schemes, 2 to 9 homes, one new home | British Standards |
| SUDS Strategy (with Drainage Assessment Form for majors) | Where relevant | Mandatory for majors (with the Drainage Assessment Form); minor schemes need one for a new dwelling, a footprint increase of 5 sq m+, or a commercial-to-residential change.Applies to: one new home, 2 to 9 homes, major schemes, changes of use, commercial | Sutton SUDS Guidance; national SuDS standards |
| GLA requirements: Whole Life-Cycle Carbon Assessment and Circular Economy Statement | Where relevant | Required for GLA-referable schemes, e.g. 150+ units, 15,000 sq m+, or buildings over 30 m.Applies to: major schemes | London Plan SI 2, SI 7 |
OUR SERVICES IN SUTTON
Every report, one coordinated team.
All 54 services are available for sites in Sutton. Prices are starting estimates; we confirm the fee in writing before appointment.
Planning & strategy
Heritage & townscape
Water & ground
Environment & amenity
Ecology & landscape
Energy & sustainability
Transport & viability
Structure, basements & ground
- Structural feasibility notes
- Structural planning statements
- Basement impact assessments
- Basement construction method statements
- Ground movement assessments
- Groundwater & hydrology screening
- Geotechnical desk studies
- Ground investigation reports
- Slope stability assessments
- Retaining wall assessments
- Demolition & construction method statements
- Construction management plans
- Structural reuse & retrofit appraisals
- Structural condition discharge statements
OUR WORK IN SUTTON
Applications we have supported here.
Neighbouring councils
YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Planning in Sutton: FAQs
Still have a question?
Tell us about the site and we will confirm what Sutton will need and what it should cost.
Make an enquiryWhich reports does Sutton require for a house extension?
Sutton's validation list requires Fire Safety Strategy (or Reasonable Exception Statement) for householder applications, before any site constraints are taken into account. Constraints such as a conservation area, flood zone or protected trees add further reports. Our application checker lists them for your address.
How up to date is Sutton's validation list?
The list we use is "London Borough of Sutton Local Validation List 2024", dated 2024-12-03 (adopted). Councils revise their lists, so we confirm the current version before you commission reports.
Do you cover every part of Sutton?
Yes. We work across the whole of Sutton, including the postcode districts KT4, SM1, SM2, SM3, SM5, SM6, SM7 and areas such as Sutton, Cheam, Carshalton, Wallington, Worcester Park and Belmont.
Where are you based?
Our office is at Unit D New Wave House, 4 Humber Road, London NW2 6DW, and we work on sites across all 32 London boroughs, the City of London and OPDC.
YOUR NEXT STEP
Planning an application in Sutton?
Tell us about the site and what you want to build. We will tell you which reports Sutton is likely to need and what they should cost.
Call 020 8004 4464 or email info@greencodeconsultants.com.